A/N, hey guys, this is a shorter chapter, but I hope you enjoy it. I would love suggestions for future stories or chapters. Enjoy.
Chapter 20: We're In This Together
Riley was in a small room, dark grey like an imperial cell. He tried in get up but couldn't move his body, he tried to look around but his head was strapped down. He heard a door open and two men walk in.
"Good morning, I assume you're comfortable" the voice sounded familiar, Riley tried to speak but was unable.
"Sir, we're ready" a second voice said.
"Let's get this over with, inject the serum" the first voice said again.
"Are you sure? He's been injected more than enough, it could kill him"
"Then knock him out and start the procedure"
"Yes sir" then everything went black.
Riley woke up what only felt like seconds later.
"He needs to talk to us" a female voice said, sounded like…Sabine?
"He needs to calm down" a second female voice stated, must be Anne.
"He doesn't trust us"
"He does trust us, he's just elsewhere"
"I'm starting to wonder"
"About?"
"Why I came in the first place"
"Because you didn't want him to die and to get revenge"
Riley got up, he stumbled but managed to stay standing. He walked into the bedroom where Anne and Sabine would sleep.
"Riley!" Anne jumped up and hugged him.
"You idiot!" Sabine jumped up and joined in the hugging. "Why do you push yourself so much? We were worried"
"What happened?" Riley hugged them back.
"You collapsed, Hera said it was because you pushed yourself after the incident" Anne stood back. "If we do this, then you have to calm down"
"Yeah, I'm sorry" Riley let go of Sabine. "I was lost"
"You were only out for an hour this time" Anne sat on her bed watching the Holonet.
"We came to help Riley, so let us" Sabine sat on her bed.
"Alright, I'm going for a walk" Riley put on his helmet.
"Don't get into any trouble" Sabine called as he left the room.
"I won't" Riley left.
Riley walked out of the hotel and onto the streets, he walked down the river. Riley was looking around to see what security was like, not much to see. Security was light, Kallus might have been on vacation. He arrived at the palace, there was even less on the outside than down the street. He saw a few open windows easy to reach and a small gate with only two guards. He sat a café across the street, a clear view of the palace.
"Riley?" he turned to see two Mandalorians standing behind him.
"What are you guys doing here?" Riley watched the two sit.
"We thought you could use some company" Anne said as she removed her helmet.
"Also, we need to talk" Sabine and Riley removed their helmets.
"Ok, I'll answer" Riley sat back.
"First, do you trust us?" Anne leaned forward hoping for a positive answer.
"Of course I do, if I didn't trust you then why are you here?" Riley looked shocked.
"I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that" Anne sat back trying to avoid eye contact.
"Second" Sabine started. "When are we doing this?"
"Tonight, I'll tell you the rest when we get back" Riley stretched his arms in the direction of an officer.
"Smart, last question" Sabine looked at Anne. "Are you two ok?"
"What do you mean?" Anne turned her head fast.
"You seem to be breaking apart" Sabine looked at Riley. "Or are you not use to this?"
"Sabine, I was on the run and trying to survive for 5 years" Riley looked over at Anne. "A relationship wasn't exactly on my mind"
"But you and Anne?"
"It's just this mission, when I passed out I had a flashback" Riley looked at his helmet.
"What happened?" Anne placed her hand on Riley's. She thought about what Sabine had said.
"It was one of the times I was caught, they did something" Riley held Anne's hand. "I'm not sure what they did, that's why I wanted to do this alone"
"We can help" Anne into his eyes.
"Just try to get out of this alive" Anne smiled lightly.
"I will" Riley removed his hand.
"Come on, it's getting late" Sabine walked back to the hotel.
Everyone walked back, Riley was worried about what Kallus did to him. Sabine readied her weapons and bombs, Anne worked her way around the new weapon and Riley checked everything, gun, first aid kit, explosives and armour.
It struck midnight, everyone left for the palace. Riley walked ahead, Sabine and Anne were worried that Riley was jumping into it. When they arrived they split up, Riley went through a window upstairs, Sabine went down stairs and Anne went through the back.
Riley was sneaking through the hallways, he didn't encounter any guards. He walked to a large door, it was the door for the master bedroom. Riley opened it to find Kallus and his wife asleep. He set up some non-lethal traps at the doors in case anyone tried to escape.
With Sabine
Sabine had entered through the lower window, she scanned the hallways for any troops to find no-one. She checked all the rooms but they were all empty, she need to find Kallus's child. If they all got together then it would be easier, Sabine checked room after room but found nothing. She then heard a small bang, like something was thrown at a wall. She checked the next room to find Anne with the kid.
"What did you do Star?" star was Anne's codename.
"Nothing, Juniper just got scared" Anne looked at a child no older than five. "But we're friends now. Juniper, this is Paint"
"Hi" the brown haired girl said tiredly.
"Hi, come on" Sabine walked out the room followed by Anne and Juniper.
They walked upstairs quietly, they found Riley standing by a large door.
"Stripe, this is Juniper" Anne introduced the two.
"Hi, Juniper" Riley lifted her up. "Let's go see mommy and daddy"
The three entered, Riley indicated some shock mines as they entered. Riley put down Juniper in a chair, he walked over and woke the sleeping adults.
"James, what is it th-" the wife stopped as he turned on the lights.
"Mary, what are you doing?" Kallus sat up, he saw Riley by the door and the other two by Juniper. "Get away from my daughter"
"These are my friends" Juniper stood on the chair.
"Who are you? What do you want?" Mary looked at Riley who was removing his helmet.
"My name is Stripe, those two are Paint and Star" Riley walked a few feet closer. "At the age of ten, you're husband took away my parents. The next year, he captured and tortured me. Then a couple of months after that he did something to me and I don't know what. A month ago, he tortured me again. Now when I sleep I see these memories again, they cause mass amounts of pain to me and fear to my friends"
"So that's your name, you finally broke" Kallus got up.
"What are you going to do?" Mary stood behind Kallus.
"I want to show how much suffering your husband has caused" Riley felt dizzy again but leaned against the wall for support.
"You're not going to harm us?" Mary walked to Riley. "Why?"
"Mary, I'm not like your husband or other imperials" Riley handed her a disk. "Watch this"
"I thought it was a perfect system" Mary looked at Kallus horrified.
"For some, maybe" Riley looked at the two girls. "No"
Riley hadn't noticed Kallus moving towards a draw. Neither had anyone else, when Kallus got close enough he grabbed a pistol.
"So, Stripe" Riley turned only to be shot by Kallus in the chest. Sabine tackled Kallus and punched the pistol away.
"Why did you do that?" Mary was about to check Riley's vital signs, but Riley got up.
"You still don't get it do you?!" Riley approached Kallus and pushed Sabine off him, Riley pinned Kallus against a wall by the throat. "I could kill you, your wife and your daughter right now!"
"Daddy!" Juniper ran over to her father. "Let him go!"
"But I won't" Riley released Kallus. "I don't want someone else to have the same experience I had when I was young"
"Stripes, he's had enough" Anne walked over to Riley.
"Take care of your parents ok?" Riley told Juniper.
"I'm sorry for this night" Riley left putting his helmet back on.
"Bye Juniper" Anne hugged the little girl.
"Bye Star" Juniper hugged back.
Anne walked out, Sabine approached Juniper.
"Bye Juniper, stay safe"
"Bye Paint"
"If I were him Kallus, you would be dead" Sabine walked outside to meet the other two.
"Better?" Anne asked the two.
"Yup, now I can rest easy" Riley climbed out the open window.
"Sabine?"
"It'll do, I would have preferred to kill him" Sabine tried to stay calm, and climbed out the window.
Everyone walked back to the hotel quiet, the all had different thoughts. Riley was glad he was able to get rid of bad memories and find a bit of closure. Anne was hoping Riley would return to normal and would remember this day for years. Sabine was glad she got back at Kallus, and hoping for her brother back. They arrived at the hotel room and went to sleep.
The next morning, everyone woke up at the sound of knocking. It was a quite knock, someone wanted to enter. Anne walked to the door while Sabine and Riley pointed there weapons at the door.
"Open up, it's Kanan" it sounded like Kanan, Anne opened the door.
"Whoa, nice to see you too" Kanan said as Sabine put down her weapons.
"What happened to you guys not helping?" Riley walked in to the room next to them.
"We decided we should, but by the commotion on the streets, I'd say you're ready to leave" Kanan looked at the beds. "Those are small beds"
"Riley had to sleep in there" Anne pointed to where Riley was.
"Let's go" Riley turned around the corner.
"That was fast" Kanan looked amazed.
"Everything was already packed" Riley walked out the door. "I'll meet you guys on the ship"
"We'll tell you everything then" Anne said leaving.
"I'm sorry about yesterday, I was just worried" Sabine hugged Kanan. "We still friends?"
"Of course we are" Kanan walked with Sabine out the door.
A/N, Twenty chapters, this is a great milestone for me and it's because you guys stuck with me all the way. I'm debating if this will continue, you'll find out tomorrow. Goodbye and May the force be with you.